The Littlefield Wildcats’varsity basketball team fell at home on Monday to the Slaton Tigers, 69-45, in district play.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 1-2 in district play on the year.
Blayton Soliz opened the contest with a three from the left wing, off of an assist from Jayden Barrio, but Daniel Payne answered with a layup on the left side to cut the lead to, 3-2. Barrio drove the left side for a lay-up, but on the other end, Payne was fouled on an attempt by Ben Castillo. He converted both shots from the line to make it a one-point game, 5-4, with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Jacob Lopez dropped in a floater in the lane to give the Tigers a one-point lead and Braeshon Kennard followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Trae Harris, making the score, 8-5, with 4:26 to play in the first quarter. Harris dropped in a lay-up for the Tigers, as Littlefield took a time out with 3:46 remaining in the first quarter, trailing Slaton, 105.
Out of the break, Payne hit Z’Qedrian Whaley for a fastbreak lay-up and two plays later, Payne drove the right side for a lay-up, pushing their lead to, 14-5, with just over two minutes to play in the quarter. Jose Payan took a charge on Whaley, giving him his second foul of the game and Barrio followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Sammy Saenz, trimming the lead to, 14-7.
With 1:07 to go in the quarter, Kennard was fouled on an attempt by Barrio, his second of the game. He converted both shots at the line to make the score, 16-7, as the first quarter came to a close.
David Daniels drove the lane, kicking it out to Kennard at the top of the key, who buried the three, stretching their lead to, 19-7, to open the second frame. Elijah Rodriguez dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Saenz under the basket, but Kennard answered with a lay-up on the left side on the other end, and Payne followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Harris, extending their lead to, 23-9, with 5:28 to play in the first half.
Harris drew a shooting foul on Saenz on a fast-break and split the attempts at the line, but he followed it up with a lay-up to make the score, 26-9, with 4:17 to play in the half. Kennard dropped in a lay-up on a fastbreak, as Littlefield took a time out to talk things over, trailing, 28-9, with 3:54 left to play in the half.
Harris picked up a steal, dishing it to Payne in transition for a lay-up and on the defensive end, Payne took a charge on Castillo to regain possession for the Tigers with 3:17 to play in the half. Harris would hit Payne with a pass through traffic for a lay-up, but Saenz ended the scoring drought for Littlefield with a pass to Castillo for a layup, trimming the lead to, 32-11.
Kennard was fouled on an attempt by Saenz and sank both free throws, but on the other end, Castillo hit Barrio on a cut to the basket for a lay-up on the right side, making the score, 34-13. Rodriguez would take a charge on Kennard to get the ball back for the Wildcats, and on the offensive end, Payan was fouled on an attempt by Ashton Garcia. He made one-of-two shots at the line, making the score, 34-14.
Jace Castillo split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Chase Coronado and in the closing seconds Payne knocked down a pair of free throws to sent the Tigers into halftime leading the Wildcats, 37-14.
Harris opened the second half with a lay-up, but Barrio answered with a lay-up on the left side to trim the lead to, 3916. Kennard responded, hitting Harris on a backdoor cut for a lay-up, pushing their lead back out to, 41-16, with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Saenz dropped in a lay-up on the left side, and Rodriguez followed it up with a put-back off of a miss by Soliz, cutting the lead to, 41-20. Soliz kept it going with a runner from the right side, trimming the lead to, 41-22, with 5:25 to play in the third quarter. On the other end, Payne was fouled on an attempt by Rodriguez, his third of the game. He made the first and missed the second, but Harris grabbed the offensive rebound, which led to a three by Kennard from the left elbow, stretching their lead to, 4522.
Saenz hit a cutting Payan for a lay-up, but Slaton responded, Whaley dropped in a lay-up off of the inbound pass from Payne, making the score, 4724.With 3:40 to play in the quarter, Payne spun to the basket for a lay-up on the left side, off of an assist from Whaley and Whaley followed it up with a quick lay-up off of a turnover by Saenz, making the score, 51-24, as Littlefield took a time out with 3:28 to play in the third quarter.
Out of the break, Payne hit Harris on a backdoor cut for a lay-up and Harris followed it up with another lay-up, extending their lead to, 55-24. With just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Barrio dropped in a lay-up, but Slaton answered with a bucket to make the score, 57-26. Barrio was fouled on a shot attempt by Garcia, his fourth. He made both free throws, but Whaley answered with a drive through the middle for a lay-up, making the score, 59-28, with just over a minute to go in the quarter.
Barrio drove the left side for a lay-up, but Harris and Whaley closed out the third quarter with back-to-back lay-ups, pushing their lead to, 63-30, going into the final quarter of play.
Lopez buried a three from the top of the key, off of an assist from Payne, but Barrio answered with a lay-up, trimming the lead to, 66-32. Kennard split a pair of free throws, after being fouled on an attempt by Barrio, who picked up his fourth of the game with 5:38 left to play. Barrio would knock down a floater, drawing an and-one foul on Eric Escobedo. He converted the free throw, making the score, 67-35, with 5:15 to play in the game.
Barrio lobbed a pass over the defense to Rodriguez, who finished the play with a lay-up, and Saenz followed it up with a floater on the left side, cutting the lead to, 67-39, with just under four minutes to play. Noah Rodriguez hit Daniels, who gave it right back to Noah Rodriguez for a lay-up, but on the other end, Elijah Rodriguez was fouled on a put-back attempt by Daniels. He converted both shots at the line, making the score, 69-41.
With 2:11 to play, Coronado knocked down a jumper from the right wing and Soliz dropped in a lay-up at the buzzer off of the inbound pass from Elijah Rodriguez, as Littlefield fell to the Tigers, 69-45.
The Wildcats were led in scoring by Barrio, who tallied 19 points. Rodriguez chipped in eight points, while Soliz netted seven points, and Saenz contributed four points. Payan added three points and Coronado and Castillo each finished with two points in the contest.